Shawnee Group of the Sierra Club

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Adventures with Uncle Bob

CAMP ONDESSONK, which is located near Ozark, IL. From Marion, IL, go east on RT 13 and turn on to RT 166 through Creal Springs to US 45. Turn right and follow until you see the sign for Ozark and Bell Smith Springs. In town, watch closely on your right for a stone arch with a sign for the camp. Follow the road to the hotel with the camp office. This camp is owned and operated by the Catholic diocese. You cannot hike here between May 15th and Sept 15th; the rest of the year requires a day pass at the office to hike. It may be wise to call ahead to 618-695-2489 to make sure a group has not reserved the facility .

Upon securing your pass, drive to the camp parking lot. Walk across the covered bridge and turn left. Continue past the concrete bathhouse and follow the steps downhill to the road. For a side trip, turn right at the bath house to see the grotto. This is a major rockhouse with a small waterfall, along with bench seating for events. As we walk along the road, look for treehouse #6. Behind it is a major shelter bluff with waterfall. As the road curves, pick up the trail to your left to explore a canyon and rock formations (right after the concrete ford). Back on the road again, look for a treehouse section with several benches. Go inside that canyon for some great views, which ends in a cul-de-sac. Further along the road, look for a sign that says "cabanel tree houses". Follow that trail to a neat cliff area.

Back on the road again, you come to a fork . Go straight ahead (the sign says Lemonte houses). Soon you will see a white trail sign — including Cedar Falls Campground. Turn and follow this trail uphill and at some point, will enter an open field with a shelter. Go to your right and the trail sign will reappear. Soon you arrive at a crossroads with no signage. Go straight ahead on a trail which keeps descending. You will arrive at Cedar Falls. The falls flow was a trickle when I was there Oct 1; but on other occasions its been a gusher. This is a huge rock shelter with an additional one even inside it, going back another 40 feet. While there is a pool in front of this rock shelter, I found access on the left by a path near the water which then took me through a rock maze until I got under this long cliff. Retrace your route back to the parking lot. I estimate the distance as 1.5 — 2.0 miles. For more info call Bob Tyson at 618-684-5643.